Tip #46: On one-way streets in Newark, Jersey City or Elizabeth, give the block, not just the street
In the dense parts of Newark, Jersey City and Elizabeth, many streets run one way and a missed turn means a loop around several blocks. Give a street address or the two cross streets on either side of you, plus which side of the street the car is on.
Tip #46 in one line
In the dense parts of Newark, Jersey City and Elizabeth, many streets run one way and a missed turn means a loop around several blocks. Give a street address or the two cross streets on either side of you, plus which side of the street the car is on.
Stuck right now? Skip the reading and call.
Call nowWhy one-way grids slow a truck down
A tow truck cannot make a U-turn on a narrow one-way street, and it cannot back up the wrong way down a block. If the driver arrives at the right street but the wrong end, or on a parallel street running the opposite way, he has to circle the grid to come back around. In heavy traffic, with double-parked cars and delivery trucks, that adds real time.
Street names repeat, too. Many towns have a Broad Street, a Main Street or a Washington Street. Saying the town matters as much as the street.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowWhat a precise location looks like
The best answer is a street number: the house or business you are in front of. If you cannot see one, give the street, the town, and the two cross streets on either side of you, as in between this street and that street. Add which side of the street the car is on, and which way the traffic flows. Mention anything that helps the driver spot you: a corner store, a church, a school, a bus stop.
If your phone shows your location on a map, read out the address it gives you, or share your location when the dispatcher asks. Then check it against what you see, because GPS in a dense area can be off by a block.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowWhile you wait
Turn on the hazards. If the car is blocking a lane, stay out of the street. If you can, note any parking restrictions on the block, such as a hydrant, a bus stop or a loading zone, so the driver knows where he can stop. Our local towing page covers these city moves, and the service area page lists the towns we reach from Linden.
The same advice holds in Hoboken, Bayonne, Paterson and the older parts of other cities we serve. If you are not from the area and the streets look alike, walk to the nearest corner and read both street signs before you call. It takes a minute and it saves the driver several. If it is late, or you feel unsafe stepping out, stay in the car with the doors locked and describe what you can see from the windows instead.
One call, one flat quote, 24/7.
Call nowMore on nj roads
Keep reading, or go back to every post on the blog.
- Tip #41: On Route 1 & 9, Route 22 or I-78, get as far off the road as you can
- Tip #42: Stopped in a live lane on the Pulaski Skyway or a bridge? Call 911 first
- Tip #43: On the Turnpike or Parkway, the shoulder tow is the Authority's garage
- Tip #44: In a jughandle, tell the dispatcher which side of the highway you are on
- Tip #47: Learn to read the mileposts and exit numbers before you need them
- Tip #49: Assume passing drivers will not move over, and stand where they cannot hit you
- What to do when your car breaks down in New Jersey
- Flatbed vs wheel-lift towing: which does your car need?
- All posts
Need towing and roadside assistance right now? One call, truck on the way.
Real dispatcher, 24 hours a day. Quoted price before we roll.